Connector clamp



J. F. HEALY, JR

CONNECTOR CLAMP Nov. 15, 1949 Filed June 23, 1945 Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Harvey Hubbell,

Incorporated,

Bridgeport,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application June 23, 1945, Serial No. 601,244

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a connector clamp, particularly a clamp for separable members, such, for example, as the separable members of an electrical connector, comprising a receptacle member and a plug-in cap or plug having coacting contacts to complete the electrical connection.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved clamp which may be readily manipulated to draw the two separable members together and to lock them in connected position when manipulated in one direction, and to positively force the members apart or separate them when manipulated in the opposite direction.

Another object is to provide such a clamp which may be readily separated or disconnected from one of the members so that the two members may be wholly disconnected.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the device is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view and a partial section of an electrical connector showing my improved clamp applied thereto, the members of the clamp being shown in plan view and in closed or clamping position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof looking from the bottom of Fig. l; I

Fig. 3 is an end view looking from the right of i Fig. 2, but showing the connector in outline only, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation looking toward the side as in Fig. 2, but showing the clamp in a partially open position and the members of the connector partially separated.

In the drawing this improved clamp is shown by way of illustration applied to an electrical connector comprising two separable members, but it will be understood it maybe applied to other types of members which it is desired to detachably connect together, and also to other types of conneotors than that shown. The electrical connector shown comprises two body members 5 and 6 each connected by means (not shown) with a the end of electrical cable I. The body member 5 comprises the receptacle or female member, while the member 6 comprises the male or plug-in cap or plug-in member. Both members in the form shown are substantially square or rectangular in cross section but may be other shapes if desired. The member 5 comprises a metal casing or shell 8 in which is mounted one or more receptacle contacts 9, which in the present arrange: ment is shown as a split tubular member open at its outer end to receive the contact pin l0 carried by the other member 6 in telescoping relation therewith to complete electrical connection between them, the contact 9 being connected by any suitable connecting means II with a conductor or lead wire (not shown) in the cable, and the pin contact In being also connected through 12 to a similar conductor wire (not shown) in the cable to which the member 6 is connected.

The contact 9 may be mounted in the casing or shell 8 by any suitable means, but in the present construction it is mounted in a chamber l3 between two transverse insulating plates l4 and I5 kept in proper spaced relation by longitudinal insulating plates 16 and IT connected by any suitable means such as the screws l8. The plate I4 is provided with an opening in alignment with the open end of the contact 9 through which the contact pin Hi may be inserted. A spring l9 may embrace the split end of the contact 9 to clamp it on the pin contact Ill to give a good electrical contact.

The body member 6 includes a metal shell or casing 20 in which the contact [0 is mounted by any suitable means such as the transverse insulating plates 21 mounted and held in the casing by suitable screws 22. The free end of the shell 20 is somewhat enlarged as shown at 23 to embrace the free end of the casing 8 and to receive the end of the casing 8 in telescoping relation. An outer member 24 may be welded or otherwise secured to the casing 23 and provide a groove to receive a resilient flexible gasket or packing 25 of rubber, neoprene or other suitable material, to be engaged by the free or enlarged end 23 of the casing 20 to form a watertight connection.

The improved clamp for drawing the two separable members of a connector together and lock them together against accidental separation while in use, and also for forcing them apart when it is desired to disconnect or separate them, comprises a lever 26 which may be of substantially U-shape, including side arms 21 .and 2. connecting bar 28, the side arms being curved laterally as shown at 29, so that the connecting bar 28 is offset laterally, for a purpose presently to be described. Each of the free ends of the side arms 2'! is pivoted to one of the body members, in the p e fi case the body member 5, by the pivot 30. The clamp also comprises a second substantially U-shaped member 3|, the side arms 32 of which provide toggle links each pivoted at 33 to the side arms 21 and also to the other body member at 34. One of these connections is a detachable connection, preferably the connection 34, and to secure this the link or arm 32 is provided with a keyhole shaped notch 35 leading from one side thereof for passage of the pivot stud 34, the curved portion of which notch is somewhat wider so that when embracing the stud 34 it will be held against accidental separation. The studs 34 are also preferably headed so as to prevent the links 32 from sliding outwardly off the studs when placed under strain. The pivotal connection 33 to the arm 21 is on the opposite side. of thegpiVOt 30 from the connection 34, and is so located that when the clamp is manipulated to draw the members together it may pass a short distance by or past the line 33 connecting the centers of the pivots 30 and 35, thus forming a toggle to firmly draw the members together, and also when the center 33 is moved past they line 36 the tension will hold them in this, locked position. The link 32 is curved at 3! to clear the pivot 30, and the connecting bar 38 of the member 3| joining the links32 is so located that when the clamp is in the c'losedor locked position of. Figs. 1 and 2 this bar rests. against the side of the member 5 and. limits movement toward the lockin position. The connecting bar 28' of the lever 26 is prefera-bly so located that in this position it is spaced a short distance from the side of the member 5, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that the tips of the fingers may be readily inserted under this bar to swing the lever 26 upwardly and to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 to release the clamp.

This operation is shown in Fig. 4, in which the clamp is in a partially open position. It

will be seen that swinging the lever 26 upwardly andto. the left or 'counterclockwisefrom the position. of Fig. 2 will swing the pivotal connections. 33 counterclockwise about the pivots 3n and will.

force the links 32 to the left, and. through their. connections with the studs 34. will force. thebody member 6 to the. left away from the body memher 5 and partially disconnect the contacts 9 and I as well as the telescoping shells 8 and 2.0. This.

action also raises the connecting bar 38 to the position shown in Fig. 4, and now by pressing downwardly on this bar or toward the body mem her. 5, thismember and the links 32 will be swung,

clockwise about the pivots 33lifting the free ends of, the. links 32' from the pivot studs 34, thus disconnecting, the, clamp from the body member and permitting the member 6 to. be entirely withdrawn from the other body member 5 of the connector; In again connecting the two body mem bers, the member 6 is brought to substantially the position of Fig. 4 and the end or ends of the contact pinor pins Ill inserted a short distance in the open end or ends of the contact or contacts 9, the member 3! is swung counterclockwise to hook'the notches 35 over the studs 34, and then the lever 26 is swung to the right or clockwise to'th'e position of Fig. 2, which, acting through the toggle links 32 will draw the two body members 5 and 6 together and tightly clamp the free edgeof the enlarged portion 23 against the packing or gasket 25. This gasket, however, is not necessary unless a watertight joint is required, as there is enough give and spring in the members to permit the pivot connection 33 to swing by the line 36 to the locking position.

If it is desired to make the device polarized, one of the studs 34 may be of somewhat larger diameter than the other, thus the opposite stud 34a is made somewhat larger than the stud 34 and the notch 35 for this stud will be made correspondingly larger. With this arrangement, if the member 6 is reversed so that the large stud 34a is on the side of the narrower slot 35, the links 32 cannot be moved to the connected position and therefore it Will be impossible to connect the two body members together. in the incorrect position, and it will be necessary to turn the member 6 to the proper relative position before the link can be connected therewith. This, therefore, insures the proper contacts in the two body members are engaged.

It will be clear from the above that the device is a very simple one, requiring a minimum number of parts, that by simple manipulation of the lever and the link the two body members may be tightly drawn together and locked in this position against accidental separation in use, but when it is desired to disconnect them, all that is necessary is to swing the lever 26 in the opposite direction, which action will not only unlock the two body members, but will positively force them apart sufficiently to partially separate them and loosen up the engaged contacts sufiiciently to permit easy separation of the two body members without the necessity of exerting a strong pull on these body members or the cables connected of one of said body members, a substantially U-shapedtoggle member comprising spaced side arms'and a connecting bar and: having its side arms pivoted to opposite sides of'the other body member, means pivotally connecting the side arms of the toggle. memberto the side arms of the lever at a distance from their pivotal connections to'the first body member. so as to draw the body members together by'swinging of the lever on its pivots, and the cross bar connecting the side arms of the toggle member being positioned to engage the first body member to limit movement of the lever.

2. In combination, a pair of separable body members including parts adapted for cooperative engagement, a substantially U-shaped lever comprising laterally spaced side arms and a connecting bar andv having its side arms pivoted to opposite sides of one of said body members, pivot studs projecting from the opposite sides of the other body member, a substantially U-shaped link member comprising laterally spaced side arms and a connecting bar and having its side arms pivoted to the side arms of the lever laterally from the first pivots to form a toggle therewith, each of said side arms of the link member being provided with a notch extending from one. edge thereof adjacent its free end to detachably engage one of said studs to pivotally connect the link member with the second body member, and the bar connecting the side arms of the link member bein positioned to engage a side. of the first body member to limit movement of. the lever after the pivots between the side arms have passed beyond the lines joining the studs and the first pivots.

3. A connector of the character described comprising a pair of body members carrying electrical contacts adapted for cooperative engagement, a substantially U-shaped lever comprising spaced. side arms and a connecting bar and having its side arms pivoted to one of said body members, a substantially U -shaped link member comprising spaced side arms forming links and a cross bar connecting said arms, said link member having its side arms respectively pivoted to the side arms of the lever on the opposite side of their pivots from the other member and adapted to pass by said pivots to form a toggle, the cross bar connecting the side arms of the link member being positioned to engage a body member to form therewith a stop means to limit movement for the link member and lever while the cross bar of the lever is spaced from the body member, and means for detachably connecting the free ends of the links to the other body member.

4. A connector of the character described comprising a pair of body members carrying electrical contacts adapted for cooperative engagement, a substantially U-shaped lever comprising spaced side arms and a connecting bar and having its side arms pivoted to one of said members, a substantially U-shaped link member comprising a spaced side arms forming links and a cross bar connecting said arms and arranged with a side arm pivoted to each arm of said lever and to the other body member, the pivotal connection of each side arm of the link member to the lever being on the opposite side of the pivotal connection of the respective arm to the first body memher from the connection of the said link arm to the second body member to form a toggle to draw the body members together and hold them when 1 the lever is swung in one direction and to force them apart when swung in the opposite direction, the cross bar of the link member being positioned to engage a body member and form therewith a stop means to limit such movements of the link member and the lever while the cross bar of the lever is spaced from the body member, and one of the pivotal connections of the respective links being detachable to permit disconnection of the body members.

5. In combination, a pair of separable body members including parts adapted for cooperative engagement, a substantially U-shaped lever comprising laterally spaced side arms and a connecting bar, means pivotally connecting its sid arms to one of said members, a substantially U-shaped toggle member comprising laterally spaced side arms and a connecting bar, means pivotally connecting the side arms of the toggle member to the other body member, means pivotally connecting the respective side arms of the toggle member to the adjacent side arm of the lever at a point on the opposite side of the pivot for the lever from the second body member and so arranged that when in securing position the connecting bar of the toggle member engages a body member and forms therewith a stop means to limit movement of the lever while the connecting bar of the lever is spaced from the body member to permit gripping of this bar for operation of the lever and toggle member, and One of said pivotal connections for the arms of the toggle member being detachable to permit complete disconnection of the body members.

JOSEPH F. HEALY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,188,568 Smith June 27, 1916 2,045,590 Emery June 30, 1936 2,111,118 Lake Mar. 15, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 589,173 Germany Nov. 16, 1933 

